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Film Techniques Used to Emphasize Themes in V for Vendetta

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Film techniques used to emphasize themes in V for Vendetta

In the film V for Vendetta, the director, James McTeigue uses symbolism, costume and dialogue to emphasise the idea of everybody having a right to individuality, and the right - and duty – to resist forced conformism.
James McTeigue uses symbolism in the film V for Vendetta to juxtapose the idea of individuality and the resistance of forced conformity. The first important symbol used in the film is V’s mask. This symbol is shown in all of the scenes V appears in and again in the very last scene. In this scene thousands of citizens gather wearing the masks and remove them. Masks often symbolize a character hiding their identity. This final scene when the citizens remove their …show more content…

At the beginning of the film, Evey dresses to blend in with the crowds; she wears light colours, nothing that stands out. However towards the end of the film, V helps Evey to lose her fear and discover who she is. He shaves her head. After this point in the film Evey begins to wear darker coloured clothing such as blacks and greys, and wears her bald head with pride. She does not cover it with wigs or hats. This is similar to the costume changes shown in the film the Matrix, which James McTeigue helped direct. While in the Matrix the characters wear darker clothes, these colours show a change in attitude and the characters’ desires to resist being controlled and forced into conformity by the Machines. This change in costume is similar to that of V for Vendetta, which shows Evey’s new-found confidence in her identity, and her willingness to resist conforming to the totalitarian society she lives in. In doing this, the director urges viewers to try to find their own individuality and resist the conformism in their own lives. He uses this film to warn viewers of the dangers of not resisting forced conformism, through the lack of change in costume in the other characters. In 2011 an article was posted on Enotes which reads “V's legacy for change is embodied in Evey, which is reflective of how individuals

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